STRATFORD – ONGARUE RAILWAY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 137, 8 March 1909, Page 2

STRATFORD - ONGARUE RAILWAY.

crops which would be invaluable in supplying the district and the Southern towns. The coal was below the proposed point of deviation, and would [ be tapped by the line in any case. But if Ongarue was decided upon, the line would be built much more rapidly ta j

the point mentioned, and the resources of the district would be developed more The distance of the deviation would be about 55 miles, while from Ongarue it would be about 28 miles, and the authorised line would be a paying one

to the State from the start. The settlers of Ohura had had a big struggle. There was no metal in the district, and dairying operations could not be successfully carried on without good road. TU_ ;i ... .

The railway was their only hope, and he trusted the Minister would consider all these matters in arriving at a decision. The Ongarue line had been J authorised so long that the settlers conj sidered they entitled to it unless ! there were serious obstacles in the way. Mr C J. Ryan pointed out that i settlement had taken place in the district in the belief that the line was to

come from Ongarue. Had there been any possibility o: a deviation mooted * the varous industries would have been established at Mangaroa. In any case ! the building of a line to Ongarue ! should not do away wth the line from j Te Kuiti to Mangaroa. The country I

j along both routes was rich and of sufficient extent to warrant more than one line, and each would pay hand- ! somely. In any case, if the line was j deviated, it should connect a± Te j Kuiti. The Hon. Hall Jones had pro- ' mised that directly the Main Trunk j was finished a start would be made at Ongarue. Mr T. Hunt said the Min-

ister had seen very Jicle but dust on | the road. Along the route they had come, on each side, the Natives still owned the land for a distance of about

a mile. Behind this belt of Native country, however, settlement had been going on Another argument upon which great stress should be laid was the fact that the line had been authorised by ParHamcnt and people had settled in the j district confidently expecting the Government would adhere to its promise. The distance to be formed would be about half of the proposed deviation, and the route already had a road which could be utilised as the service road for the line. It was needless to enlarge upon the capabilities of the land tho

quality of which was well-known, and thoroughly warranted the railway being built. In reply to the Minister, Mr Hunt said the traffic of the district would igo to Auckland, as it was the best market. The- Minister pointed out that the distance from Ohura to the =ea was less to New Plymouth than to Auckland, and they would find the trade ! naturally turning Tarar.aki - wards, I when the line came through ' ! In reply to the collation generally ! Mr McKer:zi..,ah:- ; > :(Jl lh ;. ;

;i ■ ■ * ■- ; j Minister and Member Visit the ' J Route. I The Minister of Public Works, Mr : J R, McKenzic, and party left Ongarue j this morning to inspect the railway . route, and arrived at Matiere at noon.

On arrival they were met by the Hon. Mr Hogg and Mr Jennings, M.P., and were entertained at Mr A. H. Hyde's and afterwards were further entertained at lunch given by settlers at Mr O'Brien's boardinghouse. Mr C. J. Ryan presided, Mr Bicheno being in the vice chair. After lunch the Minister made a j , j speech, and expressed great pleasure |

at the warm reception extended to him. With regard to the railway he could make no promises, nor form an opinion ! till the district had been inspected. If j he found that putting the line through to Ongarue was in the best interests j

of the people of New Zealand the line would go that way. Personally he considered his colleague Mr Hogg, was

the man whose good graces should be cultivated by Ohura people. Matiere, even now, was not badly off as regards a railway, and the line was being put

through with despatch. There were i 455 employed on the constructon works and that at the present rate of going the Stratford-Ongarue line would be nearer Ohura than was the Main Trunk today.

At the conclusion of the speech a deputation of Otangiwai and Matiere settlers waited on the Minister. Mr Bicheno, on behalf of the Northern Ohura Settlers' Association, gave the

history of the line which had been scheduled for construction for nine years. The Hon. Hall-Jones had made a promise that when the Main Trunk line was finished, • work would be start-

Ed at the Ongarue end. I There were no engineering difficul- | ties. The land was all of excellent quality, capable of close settlement, and suitable for dairying. There were about two million acres affected and dairy factories were already springing j up throußout the district. In conse-

quence of promise to put the line through to Ongarue, various industries had been established alon;,' the route, and these would be practically cut ofT if the line was deviated. Close to Tatu were coal out-

j Parliament would change its mir this direction was extremely dou As to the promise cf the Kon. Jones he was sure that "~rui< would not make any promise he not consider tuiky iustifed, he was not going to mah'e ar.v r.ro till he saw the whe ■':•_■ n; = tr:c~. " A could say was that so far he r.a~ nothing to warrant taking -"e

away from them. Tr.z l ine w&s b pushed on with dispatch ana :he tiers were not badly off as reg railway communication. He k of many places which were- rr.tichw treated. Mr Jennings, in a short address gratulated the settlers unon tke p ence of two Ministers in the di=ti and assured them that evc-rv £a-> ,

sideration would ho g:-.-•--. to t representations. As Mr kfcKenzie said the question of route would impartially considered and decided tirely upon its merits.